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Ana Wiscour-Conter and Melanie Delannoy are inviting any company that has rebounded in the face of the crisis to apply for the Recovery AwardsPhoto: Maison Moderne 

Applications are now open for the Recovery Awards--Melanie Delannoy and Ana Wiscour-Conter, director and deputy director of the Paperjam + Delano Business Club respectively, tell us more.

Why the Recovery Awards, given the health crisis is not yet over?

Melanie Delannoy: Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been able to discover, particularly via Paperjam and Delano, that companies of all sizes in the country were obviously affected. But also that many of them have resorted to innovation, resilience, digitalisation, to face the reality of the moment and reinvent themselves. The Recovery Awards have a dual purpose: on the one hand, to reward the best initiatives and, on the other hand, to promote them so that they serve as a model, that they are a source of inspiration.

Ana Wiscour-Conter: This project has been in development at Maison Moderne for several months. While it is true that the crisis is not over, we believe that the time has come to spread hope, to keep a positive spirit by giving visibility to what is being done well in the country.

So the will is to be very positive?

MD: Yes, the companies we’re interested in are the ones that have come up with new solutions. The Recovery Awards are not there to reward companies that have “simply” escaped bankruptcy thanks to [state] aid, but to value their ability to bounce back in the face of difficult circumstances. Nor is the aim to shed light on certain companies just to give them a boost in trade.

Who can compete for these Recovery Awards, and how do they apply?

AWC: Any company that wants to can, no matter its size, because there are several categories defined by the number of employees. An SME shouldn’t be afraid to file its application if an industrial giant has also done so. Application forms should be completed on the recoveryawards.lu website. We have also defined four categories: innovation, digitalisation, resilience and solidarity. It is up to each applicant to decide in which they category they apply.

MD: Nominations are open until 15 June. The first 50 companies to take the plunge will already be showcased in the summer edition of Paperjam.

Who will review the files and decide on the awards?

MD: We have a jury, which is already largely constituted, but which we want to keep secret for now. However, its members are entrepreneurs, people in the field, who know the reality and the difficulties.

What benefits will come from winning a Recovery Award?

MD: In addition to the rewards that we will be unveiling in due time, the main gain will be media exposure in high-profile media such as Paperjam and Delano. I also think that, for a CEO or an administrator, obtaining a Recovery Award will be a way to value a company’s staff and their work, because the responses to the crisis have often been a team effort. Finally, there will also be the satisfaction of being recognised for their action and being a source of inspiration.

AWC: The winners will be unveiled at a grand gala ceremony on 2 December, which we hope to host in the best possible conditions.

If you have questions about the Recovery Awards and how to register, feel free to email [email protected] .